Walnut dehydrator



Mmh 22, 1927. 1,621,651

G. l. BAUER WALNUT DEHYDRATOR- Filed Nov.24, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Al 4J215 6 46 5v 47- moooo@ 04752 '57 V 5a n 2 2 "M -.15

2.1- K 'I j March 22,1927. 1,621,651

G. l. BAUER WALNUT DEHYDRATOR Filed NOV. 24, 192.5 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Inl/enfer eoree lauer Patented Mar. 22, 1927.

PATENT FFICE.

GEORGE I. BAUERfOF SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA.

WALNUT DEHYDRATOR.

Application led November 24, 1925.

My invention is a dehydrator, adapted particularly for dehydratingwalnuts.

An object of my invention is to provide a dehydrator suitable forwalnuts or the like. One of the objects thereof is to utilize a seriesof bins through which air may be circulated transversely, having meansto shut oli' bins which are empty or suihciently dry.

Another object or' my invention is to provide means for heating andcirculating the air for dehydrating in such a manner that the air insidethe dehydrator is saturated with moisture and then substantially alleliminated, being replaced by fresh air or t0 combine the circulationand recirculation of air while admitting a fresh stream ot air and atthe same time exhaust a certain proportion ot the air being circulated.

Another object of my invention is to circulate the unheated air as drawnfrom the outside atmosphere, passing it through the dehydrator and out.

In my dehydrator I construct a towerlile structure, preferablycylindrical, with 5 a series ot bins spaced in an annular manner aroundthe tower, the bins having a screen on their inside and outside circularwalls and the center of the tower having a compartment in which isinstalled the fan drawing air from the said compartment. ylhis air isforced downwardly through the floor of the compartment to a heatingchamber where the air is deiiected laterally, passing to the sides ofthe tower where it flows up an. annular space.

My invention will be more readily understood from the 'followingdescription and drawing, in which;

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view ot' my dehydrator, taken on theline 1-1 ot Fig. 2, in the direction of the arrows.

2 is a plan view of Fig. 1, omitting the elevator.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation taken in the direction of the arrow 3 of Fig.2.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal cross section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal cross section on the line 5-5 of Fig. l.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal cross section on the line EN?) of Fig'. l.

Serial No. 71,108.

The general external construction of my dehydrator is substantially as'tol-lows, being illustrated particularly in Figs. 2 and 8:

The dehydrator structure may be designated as .a tower 1, preferably otcylindrical form, supported on a base 2 and having a roof 3 with astationary cap 4, this latter having a rotatable lling hopper 5, thehopper being fed by the elevator 6 having a discharge trough 7. The roofis formed with a series of solid sections 8 and with a series ofremovable sections 9 through which the walnuts may be fed into the binshereafter described. A series ot discharge chutes 10 are spaced aroundthe tower, one lea-ding from each bin.

The internal construction ot the dehydrator is substantially as follows,being illustrated particularly in Figs. 1, 4, 5 and 6:

An inner circular wall 11 is constructed of screen material and anoutside concentric wall 12 also of screen material is suitably supportedin the tower. These walls extend downwardly from the root to the licor13 ot the air circulating chamber 14. This cham ber 14 is thus situatedin the center' ot the tower and immediately below the cap 4.

A. series of bins 15 are constructed by building vertical partitions 16extending radially outwardly between the inner and outer screen wallsand extending beyond the outer screen. wall to the wall of the tower 1.These partitions between the screen walls extend downwardly tosubstantially the same level as the floor 13 as indicated by the numeral17 in Fig. 1, and inclined iloorslS lead to discharge spouts 19, thelatter' connecting with the chutes 10 outside of the tower. rThe wallsof the spouts are pref# erably made of screen material but the floors 18of the hoppers are made of solid material. The radial partitions in thespace between the outer screen wall and the wall of the tower extenddownwardly below the spouts substantially to a position designated bythe numeral 20.

It will thus be seen that the screen walls together with the radial'aartitions form segmental-shaped bins and tliat the outer screen wallwith the wall of the tower 'and the outer portions et the radialpartitions form seg= mental air spaces; all these air spaces forininglanannular space surrounding the outer wa A series of pivoted gates 21hinged at their inner side and formed substantially as segments of anannulus, form closures for the lower and segmental air spaces 22. Thesegates have hinges 23 positioned on substantially the level of the bottompart of the radial partitions' between the said segments.

A heating chamber 24 is formed between the floor 13 and the heatingplates 25, which are preferably formed conical in shape and situatedabove the furnace 26, the latter being supported on the base 2 in anysuitable manner.

The type of furnace shown has a ringgas burner 27 with an inlet pipe 28leading through the base. A series of spiral bafflesl 29 formed on thelower surface of the heating plates 25, are adapted to give the productsof combustion a circular motion and spread the flame and burnt gasesuniformly over the heating plates. An aperture 3() is formed in the apexof the heating plates and a stack 31 leads upwardly through the heatingchamber 24, the air circulating chamber 14 and out through one of thebins to a chimney 32, through one of the stationary parts 8 of the roof,these stationary or solid sections being preferably directly over thepartitions.

Each of the bins is provided on the inner wall 11 with a series of cups33 formed by upwardly inclined portions of the screen leading toopenings 34 which allow access to the nuts in the bins for testing tosee if they are sufciently dry. The spouts 19 are provided with an innerscreen gate 35 substantially in the same line as the outside screen wall12 and with outer gates 36 which are closed, these being on the outerend of the Y chutes l0.

The air circulating system is provided by a fan 37 preferably driven byan electric motor 38, this fan discharging through the floor 13. Doubleair pipes 39 and 40 have a common inlet end 41 connected to thedischarge of the fan, the pipe 39 having a discharge outlet 42 outsideof the tower and the pipe 40 having a discl'iarge 43 adjacent theheating plates 25 and positioned substantially directly over the apex ofthe cone formed by such plates. A damper 44 is secured on a pintle 45and is operable to open or close either pipe or to provide the air inany proportion between the pipes 39 and 40, this damper being controlledfrom outside the tower. The air is sucked in the tower through pivoteddoors 41 which are situated in the lower portion of the heating chamber24. `These are preferably secured on the inside and may swing inaccordance with the inward draft, but prevent the air from blowing4 out,thus acting as check dle 47 to vertically rotate the ring. Thus theopenings 44 may be wide open or coinpletely closed or any desired amountof opening. rlhese may be used as an auxiliary means of ventilation.

Screens 48 formed of flexible material preferably burlap or stout canvasare secured by the upper end 49 to the upper part of the bins on theoutside of the inner screen wall 11 and may extend downwardly adjacentthe screen and horizontally as indicated by the numeral 50, thuscovering the walnuts in a bin and forming asubstantially imperviouscovering for the screen wall above the walnuts, thus forcing all the airthat goes through the bin to travel through the walnuts.

The operation and manner of using my dehydrator is substantially asfollows:

It will be understood that anyone or more of the removable sections ofthe roof may be lifted out of place for charging or filling the binsthrough the medium of the hopper 5, the nuts beinglifted by the elevator6. After all the bins or a suitable number are filled, the flexiblescreens 48 are draped over the walnuts as above described and theremovable roof covers replaced. If the out side air is sufficiently dryand hot it is not necessary to utilize heat in the furnace but the fanmay be operated with the damper 44 positioned to discharge the airthrough the pipe 39, the. incoming air being supplied preferably throughthe doors 41 and possibly partially supplied through the adjustableapertures 44. If heat is required to heat the air, the furnace will beignited and the damper 44 will be. turned so that part of the air willblow downwardly in the pipe 40 and part of it be exhausted through thepipe 39. Thus an amount of air will be drawn into the tower equal tothat which is expelled through the pipe 39 and this graduation may bemade so as to dry the walnuts at the proper rate and utilize heat withthe greatest economy. l Y

In certain drying operations it is desirable to close the outlet pipe 39absolutely, 1n which all the air pumped is driven through the pipe 40and continuously circulates through the various bins of the dehydratorand as no air is being expelled none will be drawn in. Then as this airbecomes saturated to a sufficient extent the damper 44 is opened wide,allowing substantially all the air pumped, exhausted out of the tower, a

new supply being,l dra-wn in through the doors ell and through theapertures 4l if desired. This complete renewal of the air only takes aconfiparatively short length of time as l preferto pump a large volumeof air at a comparatively high velocity.

'In the above description l have not set forth any particular means forturning the various gates and dampers to open and close them as theseare merely matters of mechanical sliill and may be differently adaptedto different circunistances.

lt will thus be seen that l have developed a dehydrator which hasaccommodation for a large supply of nuts to be dried, convenientlysupported in bins so that the air may circulate transversely through thebins and the circulation being controllable as to the amount of airbeing' supplied, the recirculation being controlled and the au'iount offresh air entering; and damp air exhausted beinel also controlled.

As an additional means for providing circulation of air l install airpipes and 56 leading through the outside' wall of the tower and throughthe bins to the-central chamber where they discharge, the pipe having adischarge 57 adjacent the fan and the pipe 56 a discharge 58 adjacentthe motor. These pipes have suitable valves or dampcrs to shut them offwhen they are not being utilized.

The air circulation when the pipes 55 and 56 are used is substantiallyas follows, and is usually utilized in hot dry weather when the air isdry and readily absorbs moisture:

The damper ifi would be shifted to close the outlet pipe 39 anddischarge the air downv-Jardly into the heating` chamber, although inthis case no heat would be required. The air would be drawn in throughthe pipes 55 and 56 blown by the fan into the heating' chamber, upadjacent the outside walls of thc tower, through the bins and into thecentral air circulatinpl chamber and then exhausted through theapertures` in the cap The amount of air flowing in and that being`exhausted through the apertures in the cap nay be accurately adjusted soas to give the proper amount of air to dry the produce in the binssatisfactorily.

lt will be seen that besides the structure of my dehydrator l havedeveloped method of dehydiating in controlling the circulation of air,one feature of which may be considered as circulatin` hot air heated bya furnace tlirough the bins and recirculating this until. it becomessaturated with moisture, then enhaustinp,` or discharging such airsuddenly and replenishing with fresh air. This procedure is frequentlyused in starting, say in the morning', when the nuts are cold and itrequires considerable heat to raise their temperature and to raise thetemperature of the air generally in the dehydrator to such anextent thatit will properly take up moisture.

Another feature of my method may be considered the continuouscirculation of air by exhausting a. certain proportion of the air andcontinuously introducing a certain definite proportion so that the freshand the recirculated air passing through the bins may take up themoisture.

A third feature of my method may be considercd` drawing fresh air freinoutside the tower, passing this through the dehydrator and exhausting`without the application of heat. i

The type of structure in the form of a tower is of convenient shape butit will be understood that my invention may be changed considerably ingeneral structure and in specific details without departing from thespirit thereof, such changes being within the scope of my inventionasset forth in the description, drawings and claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

l. A dehydrator comprising a series of bins arranged substantially in acircle, said bins having` foraminous side walls and means forcirculating` air from outside inwardly through the walls andtransversely through the bins.

2. A dehydrator as claimed in claim 1, in which the inner Walls of thebins form an air circulating chamber and in which the means to circulatethe air comprises a fan positioned in said chamber adapted to draw airsubstantially radially through the bins and circulate the air to theoutside of the bins.

A dehydrator comprising' a tower-like structure having a series of binsin the form of segments of a circle, the'outer walls of said bins beinerspaced from the outer wall of the tower-like structure and forming anannular air space, thc'walls of the bins being `formed of foraminousmaterial and having the inner wall of the bins forming` an aircirculating` chamber in the center of the tower, and means forcirculating air through the walls of the bins and substantiallytransversely through the bins, the air circulating from the said annularspace to the cu'culatl ing chamber.

4l. Adehydrator as claimed in claim 3, having in addition a heatingchamber for air positioned below the bins, the air circulating chamberand the said annular space, and means to circulate the air through saidheating chamber. l

5. A dehydrator comprising in combination a tower structure having anouter wall, a circular wall concentric therewith, formed of foraminousmaterial, the said walls having an annular space therebetween, an innercircular concentric wall formed of foraminous material, the spacebetween the foraminous walls being adapted to hold thev material to bedried, the space inside the inner wall forming an air circulatingchamber, and means to circulate air between the annular space to the aircirculating chamber.

6. A dehydrator as claimed in claim 5, having in addition a heatingchamber positioned below the air circulating chamber, pipes positionedtherein, one pipe having a discharge outside of the tower and the otherdischarging adjacent the center portion of the heating chamber, means tocirculate the air between the air circulating chamber and the heatingchamber and a damper in the said pipes to divert the low of air from onepipe to the other.

7. A dehydrator comprising in combination a heating chamber, a series ofsegmental bins above the heating chamber, said bins having inner andouter concentric walls, the said walls being formed of foraminousInaterial, there being a central air circulating chamber centrallypositioned in relation to the bins, an outer wall surrounding the binsand forming an annular space and means to circulate air between thecentral air circulating chamber, the heating chamber and the saidannular space.

8. A dehydrator as claimed in claim 7, having in addition a pair ofpipes in the air circulating system, one of said pipes dischargingoutside of the outer wall and the other discharging adjacent the base ofthe heating chamber, a damper in said pipes adapted to divert the low ofair from one to the other, and means in the outer wall to admit air.

9. A dehydrator comprising in combination a tower having cylindricalwalls, an outer concentric foraminous wall situated inside the towerwalls and forming an air space therebetween, an inner concentricforaminous wall, a series of radial partitions extending between theoraminous walls and the walliof the tower, said partitions dividing thespace between the foraminous walls into bins, spouts at the base of saidbins leading through the said air space, discharge chutes outside thetower walls connected to said spouts and means to circulate airsubstantially radially through the foraminous walls and the bins,between the air space outside of the bins and the air space inside ofthe bins. Y

10. A dehydrator as claimed in claim i), having' in addition a heatingchamber positioned below the foaminous walls, a series of segmentalpivoted gates to separate the said air space from the air heatingchamber and means in addition to circulate the air through the heatingchamber.

11. A dehydrator comprising a tower, a heating chamber at the base, acentral air circulating chamber, a series ot bins annularly arrangedaround the circulating chamber, air spaces between the outside of thebins an d the tower, the inner and outer walls of the bins being formedof Jforaminous ma.- terial, and means to circulate the air between theair circulating chamber, the heating chamber and the said air space.

12. A dchydrator as claimed in claim 11, in which the heating chamber isprovided with a conical-shaped floor, a stack for the products or'combustion connected to the apex of the floor, the said stack passingthrough the heating' chamber, through the air circulating chamber andthrough lthe roof of the tower.

13. In a dehydrator, a tower having a central air circulating space withannular bins thereabouts, a rotary cap covering the air space, adischarge hopper mounted on the cap and adapted to discharge material tobe dried into the bins.

14. In a dehydrator as claimed in claiml 13, in which the cap isprovided with a series ot' apertures and a ring slidable on the caphaving apertures adapted to register or be moved out of register withthe apertures in the cap.

15. In a dehydrator, a tower having a central air circulating space, aseries of segmental bins arranged annularly around the air circulatingchamber, the said bins having inner and outer foraminous walls and aflexible screen attached to the upper ends of each bin adjacent one ofthe foraminous walls, the said screen being adapted to cover thematerial to be dried and part of the wall to which it is attached.

16. In a dehydrator, a tower, a central air circulating space, a seriesof segmental bins annularly arranged, the inner and outer walls of saidbins being formed of foraminous material, a fan mounted in the aircirculating chamber, a pair of pipes leading from said fan, throughanother part of the tower, one of said pipes leading outside the towerand the other discharging therein, and a damper to pass the air througheither or both of the said pipes.

17. In a dehydrator having a central air circulating space and a seriesof bins situated annularly in regard to said air circulating space, saidbins having inner and outer foraminous walls and the inner wall having aseries of openings with cup-like pockets positioned on the inner screenadjacent said openings, adapted to allow sampling of the material beingdried.

18. In a dehydrator, a tower-like structure having a heating chamber inthe lower part of the tower, the heating chamber having a conical-shapedfloor, a burner positioned below the oor, a series of spirals extendingdownwardly from the floor in the path of the products of combustion, astack connected to the apex of the cone floor, a central air circulatingspace above the heating chamber,

annular bins around the air circulating space and means to circulate airbetween the air circulating chamber, the heating chamber and through thebins.

19. In a dehydrator having a tower, a Series of segmental bins arrangedin the orin of an annulus, a central air circulating chamber therein, anair space between the bins and the outside wall, pipes to introduce airdirectly into the air circulating chamber, a fan 10 to force air fromsaid chamber, through the bins and means to exhaust the air from thetower.

In testimony whereof l have signed my name to this specification.

GEORGE I. BAUER.

